Abstract

The author traces the history of the city of Matera from the end of World War ii, illustrating the policies of protection of the cultural heritage of the city. In particular, Matera was nominated by the European Union the European Capital of Culture for 2019, not only due to policy choices of the recent years, but also because its inhabitants have become real cultural producers, cultural inhabitants of the city. The process of recovery and revaluation of Matera began in the Nineties, when the "Sassi" and the "Parco delle Chiese rupestri" were registered in the UNESCO list, while the choice of Europe has recognized the fact that Matera is an example of sustainability and social innovation, but also of the recovery of traditions.